Denna
"Say this, that she was dark haired. There. It was long and straight. She was dark of eye and fair complected. There. Her face was oval, her jaw strong and delicate. Say that she was poised and graceful... Finally, say that she was beautiful. That is all that can be well said. That she was beautiful, through to her bones, despite any flaw or fault. She was beautiful, to Kvothe at least. At least? To Kvothe she was most beautiful." :––Kvothe, describing Denna Denna, also known as Dianne, Dinnah, Dyanae, Dinael, Dinay, Dianah, Donna, Dyane and Alora is the primary female figure in The Name of the Wind. She is arguably the main romantic interest of Kvothe, who holds an irresistible fascination with her. She is poor, homeless, and prone to wandering, but manages to make a decent living using her voice and charm. Men have a fatal attraction to her, an attraction she can never seem to return. When a man gets too familiar with her, she will often leave town quickly and silently. Biography Denna was first seen when Kvothe traveled with her in Roent's caravan. During the few days they shared traveling together, a romantic interest developed between the two of them, but was not allowed much progression by three things: young Kvothe's inadequate experience with women, the short amount of time they had together, and the appearance of Josn, a young, wealthy noble who competed for Denna's attention. The young pair parted quickly, Kvothe making his way to the University, Denna to Anilin. They did not meet until months later, when Kvothe played for his talent pipes at the Eolian. Kvothe played and sang The Lay of Sir Savien Traliard, singing the part of Savien, and leaving the part of Aloine open for anyone to sing. It was Denna who sang the duet with him, though he didn't find this out until later that evening, and after much searching. At the time she was being courted by Kvothe's friend Sovoy, but their relationship wasn't to last long. For several months Kvothe went to Imre, searching for her, but never succeeded. However she did find him several times. When Kvothe rode to Trebon, chasing rumors of blue fire, which is a tell-tale sign of The Chandrian, they finally met for more than a couple of hours. Denna was found by Kvothe in an inn where she was being treated for injuries. After some questioning, it was revealed that Denna was the only survivor of an entire wedding that had been attacked by the Chandrian. She was attending at the request of a possible patron, the informally dubbed Master Ash, who led her into the woods and questioned her as to the circumstances of the wedding. When the Chandrian attacked, Denna allowed Master Ash to knock her unconscious, so as to alleviate the suspicions of the townspeople of Trebon. She was with Kvothe when he first saw the Draccus and when he discovered the denner resin refinery. Denna engaged in a brief relationship with Ambrose Jakis, which resulted in Denna losing her precious ring, as Ambrose held the claim slip for a the repair shop where he had gone to have the ring fixed up. Denna sold a particularly beautiful piece of emerald jewelry in order to buy Kvothe an expensive new lute case . Eventually, Denna succeeded in acquiring formal patronage from Master Ash, though he remains extremely cautious and protective of his identity. (EDIT: Master Ash is not a formal patron, denying denna much of the support a patron offers as well as the protection of their name.) It should also be said that Master Ash is assumed to abuse Denna. She met with Kvothe in Severen, where she was later seen saving a girl from an attacker and teaching her to fend for herself and develop a plan. When she composed a song which praised Lanre as a hero, Denna and Kvothe had a bitter falling-out. Personality Denna's quick wit and easy charm draw men to her like bees to honey. She is beautiful and knows how to use her beauty, but sometimes, when she is with Kvothe, the mask slips and her fragility, the vulnerability she feels due to her situation, is revealed. Denna is an independent and ambitious person, who often runs away when faced with situations that are getting out of hand. If we mention Denna's personality it should be mentioned that in many things she is similar to Kvothe. She roams from place to place which reflects much of Kvothe's childhood, she is good with words and has a natural penchant for music that is hinted to be near Kvothe's, though unpolished. Relationships Denna's primary source of income is, in fact, the gifts and money she receives from her many suitors –for her, courting is a way of surviving. Her many men include Sovoy and Ambrose, but the one relationship that remains more or less constant throughout the Chronicle is with Kvothe. Whereas the majority of Denna's relationships are clearly a means of living, her relationship with Kvothe is revealed to be one of sincere affection as he has nothing to offer her financially. Category:Major Characters